Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Natural disasters can be devastating to the communities
and people impacted by them, and small businesses who happen to stand in Mother
Nature's way can have an extremely difficult time recovering. That's why it is
critical, regardless of where you live, that you plan for the worst as the
livelihoods of your business and the people it employs are on the line.

Below are some relatively simple steps small business
owners can take, which shouldn't set you back too much, and can make all the
difference in the world when disaster strikes.

1. Utilize A
Climate-Controlled Storage Facility

One thing you can do to prepare for the worst is to rent
out an off-site storage facility. Here, you can keep materials or copies of
materials (and data) critical to your business operations in case your business
is physically destroyed or badly damaged from a fire, flood, earthquake,
tornado, hurricane, etc. It's important to make sure you're getting a facility
that is climate-controlled, however.

2. Develop a
Preparedness Program

Part of preparing for disaster is simply having a plan in
place. The Department of Homeland Security runs the website, Ready.gov,
that will help you come up with one. It walks you through a five-step process
that includes:

●Program management

●Planning

●Implementation

●Testing and Exercises

●Program Improvement

3. Figure Out
Your Insurance Needs

This will vary depending on what part of the country you
live in, but you need to identify the disasters that are most likely to occur
in your place of operation. If disaster strikes, what kind of disaster is it most likely to
be? Research insurance options related to what you come up with.

Even if you already have a plan in place, you should review
it periodically (annually perhaps) to see if it can be improved in any way in
light of new information or events. Changes that could make a difference could
range from a significant change in headcount or location to changes in data or
reliance on certain data. Just go over your plan and make sure it still makes
sense for your business in its present form.

5. Don't Forget
About Smaller-Scale Disasters

While it's super important to be prepared for natural
disasters, the chances that you'll have to deal with one anytime soon are still
relatively small, though, they can be greater depending on where you operate.

"Major disasters, such as earthquakes and large-scale
power outages, are rare," says
PrepareMyBusiness.org. "Smaller disasters, such as server failure, burst
pipes and fires however happen every day. Companies often prepare for the
worst, but forget the everyday challenges, which can be just as
crippling."